The Bombay High Court has provided temporary relief to renowned playback singer Kumar Sanu in a defamation lawsuit seeking ₹50 crores against his ex-wife, Rita Bhattacharya. The court has issued a gag order that prohibits Bhattacharya and several media outlets from making or distributing any statements that may harm Sanu’s reputation or that of his family.
Justice Milind Jadhav noted that some remarks made by Bhattacharya during her interviews appeared to go beyond constructive criticism, pointing out that they seemed more like personal attacks on Sanu.
The court not only issued the gag order but also instructed Bhattacharya to refrain from sharing any potentially misleading or defamatory information about Sanu across social media, print, or digital formats until the court reviews the case.
During the hearing, Advocate Atif Shaikh, representing Bhattacharya, requested the court to suggest mediation, especially considering the recent marriage of their son. However, the court emphasized that Bhattacharya must immediately halt any actions that could further damage Sanu’s reputation.
Advocate Sana Raees Khan, representing Sanu, argued that the interviews had caused significant personal and financial distress to her client. She indicated that these statements led to the cancellation of international performances and harmed Sanu’s professional reputation. Khan also reminded the court that Sanu’s rights had previously been protected by the Delhi High Court.
While granting the temporary order against any new damaging statements, the court postponed Khan’s request to remove the interviews until it receives responses from the defendants.
The High Court has asked Khan to inform the court about Sanu’s willingness to engage in mediation by the next hearing, which is set for January 28.
Sanu’s lawsuit stems from interviews Bhattacharya gave in September 2025 on various YouTube channels. The complaint states that these interviews included false and damaging claims about Sanu’s behavior during their marriage and have been widely shared, amassing over 1.5 million views. This circulation has allegedly led to significant harm to Sanu’s reputation, including a drop in professional opportunities and an increase in negative comments on social media.
Alongside Advocate Shaikh, Bhattacharya was also represented by Advocates Ayesha Ahmed and Shanu Chaturvedi, while Google LLC and Meta had their own legal representatives in the case.
